1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug-and-socket connector having first and second plug-and-socket connector parts and a connection element in which a latching element of the first connector part connects the connector parts together after the connector parts have been placed together and the connection element releases the latching element when the connection element is in a first latching position with respect to the first connector part and secures the latching element when the connection element is in a second latching position while the connector parts have been placed together.
2. Background Art
Plug-and-socket connectors connect vehicle electrical components to one another and with the vehicle wiring harness. To secure the assembled parts of a plug-and-socket connector, the parts are connected with one another by latching elements. A lock is used to secure the connection of the latching elements.
DE 297 24 486 U1 (corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,972) describes such a plug-and-socket connector. In this connector, a plug part can be latched with a socket part. To accomplish this, the plug part has tongues with latch lugs which engage in receptacles of the socket part. The plug part can have a clip hooked into it which has locking legs running parallel to the tongues. After the plug part and the socket part have been put together, the clip can be latched against the plug part such that it limits the mobility of the tongues engaging into the socket part and thus locks the parts together. The clip can only be released from this latched position by special tools. This connector has the disadvantage that locking the parts by latching the clip after the parts have been put together requires an additional assembly step, and that although the parts are securely connected after being locked, they can only be separated again with substantial effort.